Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
First pitch: 7:05 PM ET
Takeaway: This is a marquee July matchup: Sasaki vs. Cole under the Bronx lights, two Cy Young‑level arms with elite strikeout profiles and top‑five team records. The Dodgers enter hotter, deeper, and healthier, while the Yankees lean heavily on Cole and their bullpen to stabilize an inconsistent offense. Expect a low‑scoring, pitching‑driven game with premium strikeout potential.
Venue & Game Details
Yankee Stadium — Bronx, New York
Opened: 2009
Dimensions:
LF: 318 ft
LC: 399 ft
CF: 408 ft
RC: 385 ft
RF: 314 ft (short porch)
Park Factors:
Boosts right‑handed pull power
One of MLB’s best HR parks
Favors fly‑ball hitters and high‑velo pitchers
Weather Forecast
Temperature: 82–85°F at first pitch
Humidity: ~60%
Wind: 6–10 mph blowing out to right
Rain: <10%
Impact:
Slight boost to RH pull hitters
Warm air = ball carries
Strikeout pitchers still favored due to humidity
Injury Report
Dodgers
Mookie Betts — OUT (hand fracture)
Walker Buehler — OUT (elbow rehab)
Max Muncy — Day‑to‑day (quad tightness)
Blake Treinen — OUT (shoulder)
Yankees
Giancarlo Stanton — OUT (hamstring)
Anthony Rizzo — OUT (forearm)
Nestor Cortes — OUT (shoulder)
Jonathan Loáisiga — OUT (elbow)
Gleyber Torres — Day‑to‑day (ankle)
Team Form & Records
Los Angeles Dodgers (61–36)
Last 10: 7–3
Run differential: +112
Strengths: elite rotation, top‑tier bullpen, deep lineup
Weaknesses: missing Betts reduces OBP and defensive range
Recent trend: pitching carrying the load; offense still top‑5 in MLB
New York Yankees (54–42)
Last 10: 5–5
Run differential: +41
Strengths: Cole, bullpen depth, HR power
Weaknesses: inconsistent lineup, injuries to key bats
Recent trend: offense cooling; pitching keeping them afloat
Pitching Matchup — Sasaki vs. Cole
Rōki Sasaki — Dodgers (RHP)
2026 Stats:
ERA: 2.31
WHIP: 0.94
K/9: 12.8
BB/9: 1.7
Profile:
Triple‑digit fastball
Devastating splitter
Elite command
Matchup Notes:
Yankees struggle vs. elite splitters
RF porch risk mitigated by Sasaki’s ground‑ball tendencies
Should rack up strikeouts (projected 8–11)
Gerrit Cole — Yankees (RHP)
2026 Stats:
ERA: 3.14
WHIP: 1.08
K/9: 10.9
HR/9: 1.2
Profile:
Power fastball
Hard slider
Excellent vs. RH hitters
Matchup Notes:
Dodgers’ lefties (Freeman, Lux, Outman) are key
Vulnerable to HRs when slider backs up
Should pitch deep (6–7 innings)
Key Player Matchups
Freddie Freeman vs. Gerrit Cole
Freeman hitting .310 vs. power RHP
Cole’s slider must be sharp
Edge: Freeman in RBI spots
Aaron Judge vs. Rōki Sasaki
Judge’s HR power vs. Sasaki’s splitter
Sasaki rarely leaves pitches middle
Edge: Sasaki, but Judge can change game with one swing
Shohei Ohtani vs. Gerrit Cole
Ohtani hitting .295 with 18 HR vs. RHP in 2026
Cole struggles vs. elite left‑handed power
Edge: Ohtani
Juan Soto vs. Rōki Sasaki
Soto’s patience vs. Sasaki’s command
Fascinating chess match
Edge: Soto if Sasaki falls behind in counts
Series History
Dodgers vs. Yankees all‑time: Dodgers lead 12–10
Last meeting (2025): Dodgers won series 2–1
At Yankee Stadium: Yankees lead 6–5
Most games are low‑scoring due to elite pitching matchups
Betting Trends
Dodgers
7–1 in last 8 games started by Sasaki
Under has hit in 5 of last 7 Dodgers road games
Dodgers are 28–18 on the road
Yankees
Cole starts: Yankees 10–6
Under is 9–3 in Cole’s last 12 starts
Yankees are 31–19 at home
Totals Trends
Both teams top‑10 in strikeouts generated
Weather slightly favors HRs, but pitching matchup suppresses scoring
Model leans Under 7.5
GAME ODDS
Los Angeles Dodgers – 105
New York Yankees 9
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, July 16, 2026
